Manifolding



July 16, 1940. C, W; POTTER 2,208,341

MANIFQLDING Filedbec. 3, 195e I c JAJA-J a M', .mw

Patented July v 16, 1940 UNITED STATES MANIFOLDING Charles W. Potter, Waltham, Mass.` l Applieetien' December 3, 1936, serial Ne. 114,045

7 Claims.

This invention relates to inanifolding and more specifically to manifolding supplies of the continuous strip type, designed for* use in typewriting and similar machines for producing a plurality of copiesy on each operation. f

Heretofore, in the production of manifold supplies of the above character, it has been customary to provide a plurality of continuous strips of paper with a continuous series of forms printed thereon and to arrange the strips in superposed relation with continuous strips of transfer material interleaved in order to produce, when the supplies are used in a machine, a plurality of record copies in one operation. It has been customary also to provide the record and transfer strips with weakened or perforated lines between the forms and to fold the superposed strips, both record and transfer, in a zigzag manner by breaking the strips at the weakened. or perforated lines. This method of folding forms a compact pile of the supplies, commonly termed a flat pack, descriptive of its appearance.

In the use of supplies of this kind in a typewritng machine, the superposed strips are fed through the machine from a flat pack supply, and, each set of forms is filled out,'it is fed out of the machine and then torn off along the weakened or perforated lines, after which the transfer sheets are removed from between the record sheets. ln such use, however, the sheets are apt to get out of register with each other during the feeding through the machine, requiring more o1' less continual attention from the operator for realignment, which slows down the work. Furthermore, after a set of filled forms has been separated from the strips, the removal of the transfer sheets therefrom involves a fur-y ther loss of time on the part of the operator.l

These difficulties have a tendency to increase materially the cost of work of this character.

One of the important objects'of the invention is the provision of manifolding supplies'of the foregoing character in which the sheets of each set of forms are so fastened together that the record sheets are inperfect register at all times, thereby insuring that the writing on `the copies will be accurately placed in the forms.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means whereby after a set of forms has been separated from the continuousv strips, the transfer sheets may be easily and quickly pulled out as a group from between the record sheets without disturbing the arrangement vof said sheets.

Other objects ofthe invention will be more specifically pointed out and described hereinafter. f

In the accompanying drawing illustrating the preferred form'of the invention, Figure 1 isa plan view of a portion ofa continuous manifold vall strip made in accordance with my invention and showing a plurality of sets of forms;

Fig. Zis a transverse sectional .view on line 2--2 in Figure 1; and l Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing Athestrip folded on weakened or perforated lines to form a lat'pack.

Referring tothe ure l', there is shown a manifold `strip comprising a pluralityof superposed continuous strips ofv paper, of which strips lil, I2 and hl are record strips, and strips I6 and i8 interleaved between drawing and particularly ,Fig-

the record strips `are transfer strips, coated on* u one side with carbon or other transfer material for reproducing on strips l2 and lil respectively whatever is writtenonstrip l0, Although the manifoid strip is shown as` made upof live continuous strips, it is obvious that it may comprise a smaller or a larger number of individual strips.

The strips, preferably all, are provided with i spaced apart transverse'weakened or perforated llines 2f), which in each strip are in register `with the linesv in all the `other strips.` The lines are spaced apart at regular intervals, dividing the manifold strip into sets ofinterleaved'record and transfer sheets', and serve two purposes, first, for permitting the strips to be folded zigzag on said .lines to form a fiat pack, as shown in Figure 3, and, second, for facilitating the severance along said lines of sets of record sheets and interleaved Y,

transfer sheets.

For holding the record and transfer strips in proper register when folded `andwhen in use, the` sheetsiof each set are fastened together .by any suitable means, suchas a wire ystaple 2 4, which `is located in one of thecorners of each set, preferably the upper left-hand corner. The

maintaining of the register between the individi ual strips which 'make up the manifold strip is of special importance when the record strips have billing or other4 forms printed thereon, as shown in Figure 1, inorder to insure that the matter written on the ribbon copy will vbe reproduced on the carboncopies in the same relation to the printed matter of the forms.

To facilitate the removal of the transfer sheets from each set after it has been separated from the manifold strip, the record and transfer sheets.

are providedwith lines of severance, `permitting them to be torn off when separated from that portion of the set in which the fastening means is positioned, and the transfer sheets are of greater width than the record sheets to -provide projecting edges adapted to be gripped-by the fingers, preferably, these lines of severance are l upper `left-hand corner of each sheet. The record and transfer strips are preferably arranged Ywith their left-hand side edges in register and with the right-hand side edges of the transfer strips projecting outwardly from the record-strips on that edge of the manifold strip opposite to the fastening means.

In separatingy the transfer sheets from the' record sheets of a set which has been separated from the manifold strip, the corner tab 25 is gripped by the ngers of the left hand andthe projecting edges of the transfer sheets with the fingers of the right hand. Aslight pull will then separate the transfer sheets froml the tabs 25 along the lines of severance 22, and they may be pulled out; or,pifvpreferred, the corner tab 25 may be torn off and the transfer sheets gripped and shaken out from between the record strips. The first procedure has the advantage of leaving all the record sheets attached together until such time as it maybe desirable to separate them, which caribe done by merely tearing off thevtab. f

By setting the staple 24 close to the corner edges, the torn-off tab may be reduced'to small size, so that its removal will not mutilate the sheets. The sheets are shown as provided with side filing holes, but these may be omitted if desired, or they may be located in the upper portion of each s'et.

vIn the use of a manifold strip made in accordance with my invention, .the flat pack is,

mounted on a suitable support at the rear of the typewriting or billing machine which is to be used for iillingout the forms, and the top end of the strip is then inserted in the machine and around the platen, with the top form exposedto view. The first form is then lled in in the usual manner and thewriting upon the top sheet is reproducedby the 'transfer material on the underlying sheets. When a set of forms has been co-mpleted, it is fed forward in the typewriter in order to advance the next set in posi-` tion for Writing, and the filled-in set is separated from the manifold strip' along the transverse lines of seVeranceYZ.- The transfer sheets may then be removed as hereinbefore described.

It will be observed that in the use of a manifold strip made in accordance with'my invention, perfect register of the forms in eachjset is kassuredat all times so thatthe operatoris' not obliged to waste any time in aligning the sheets before typewriting. The separation of the transfer sheets from the record sheets may be performed very easily and quickly without effort or loss of time. As a result of these features,

the work is speeded up and the costof it is reduced. v

' It is to be understood that my invention is not to be limited` to thevr precise form herein shown and described, since it may be embodiedV in other forms within the scope of the following claims.

vWnatl claimis: l f 1. A manifold strip consisting of a plurality of continuous superposed record strips and interleaved transfer strips, all of said strips havmg l registering side edges on one side of said maniprojecting side edges on `that side of saidmanifold strip opposite said fastening means adapted yto be gripped for separating said transfer sheets from the record sheets and all of said strips being free of apertures. I

2. A manifold strip consisting of a plurality of continuous superposed record strips and interleaved transfer strips, all of said strips having registering side edges on one side of said manifold strip and being divided at equal intervals by registering transverse lines of severance into sets of interleaved record and transfer sheets, said manifold strip being folded zigzag on said lines to form a flat pack and the sheets of each of said sets being fastened together in one corner thereof and having oblique lines of severance adjacent said fastening means permitting said sheets to be detached from said fastening means when said set is separated from said manifold strip and said transfer strips being of greater width than said record strips to afford projecting side edges adapted to be gripped for separating said transfer sheets from the record Sheets and all of said strips being free of apertures.

3. A manifold strip consisting of a plurality of continuous superposed record strips 4of uniform width and interleaved transfer strips of a wider uniform width, all of said strips having registering side edges on one side of said manifold strip and said transfer strips having projecting edges on the other side of said manifold strip, all of said strips being divided at equal intervals by register- A uniform width, all of said strips having registering side edges on one' side of said manifold strip and said transfer strips having projecting edges on the other side of said manifold strip, all of said strips being divided at equal intervals by registering transverse lines of severance into sets of interleaved record and transfer sheets, said manifold Vstrip being folded zigzag on said lines to form a fiat pack and the sheets of each of said sets being fastened together in one corner thereof adjacent said registering side edges and having lines of severance adjacent said fastening y means permitting said sheets to be detached from said fastening means when said set is separated from said manifold strip.

5. A manifold strip consisting of a plurality of continuous superposed record strips of uniform width and interleaved transfer strips of a wider uniform width, all of said strips having registering side edges on one side of said manifold strip and said transfer strips having projecting edges on the other side of said manifold strip, all of said strips being divided at equal -intervals by registering transverse lines of severance into sets of interieaved record and transfer sheets, the sheets of each of said sets being stapled together in the upper left-hand corner thereof and having oblique lines of severance adjacent said fastening means permitting, when a set is separated from manifold strip, said transfer sheets to be detached from said stapled portion Without disturbing the record sheets.

6. A manifold strip consisting of a plurality of continuons superposed record strips of uniform width and interleavedtransfer strips of a Wider uniform. Width, all of saidy strips being Without apertures and having registering side edges on one side of seid manifold strip and said transfer strips having projecting edges on the other side of said manifold strip, all of said strips being divided at equal intervals by registering transverse lines of severance into sets of interleaved record and transfer sheets, the sheets of each of said sets being stapled together in one corner thereof uniform width, all of said strips having register- 1, ing side edges on one side .of said manifold strip and said transfer strips having projecting edges 'on the other side of said manifold strip, all of said strips being divided at equal intervals by registering transverse lines of severance into sets of interleaved record and transfer sheets and being folded zigzag on said lines to form a pack, n

the sheets of each yof said sets being stapled together in the upper left-hand corner thereof and having oblique lines of severance adjacent said fastening means permitting, when a set is separated from said manifold strip, said transfer sheets to be detached from said stapled portion Without disturbing the record sheets.

CHARLES W. POTTER. 

